The Educator Advisory Council is a group of Tennessee educators who serve as a consulting body to help GELF determine the best resources to meet the literacy needs of K–3 students across Tennessee.
The primary responsibility of the Educator Advisory Council is to select the books that students and teachers from across the state are mailed through GELF’s K–3 Home Library program during the summer.
Through its K–3 Home Library program, GELF collaborates with Scholastic to mail high-quality, age-appropriate books to kindergarten through third grade students and teachers to combat learning loss and support learning in the home.
In Summer 2021, GELF mailed books to 90,000 students and teachers across Tennessee. In Summer 2022, the program served more than 160,000.
Twenty-one Tennessee educators were selected from 115 applicants to serve on the 2021-2022 Educator Advisory Council, representing 20 school districts in all three regions across the state.
With less than one third of Tennessee third graders able to read proficiently, GELF utilized the Council’s combined 290 years of experience to provide students and families with tools to strengthen early literacy and combat learning loss.
This Educator Advisory Council was made up of 15 K-3 teachers, one library media specialist, and five school district leaders.
View the 2022 K-3 Home Library book list here.
I am joining the Educator Advisory Council because I see the learning loss this program is combating firsthand and want to share my deep love of reading, not only in my classroom, but with all students across Tennessee.
Tara Comerford
Educator Advisory Council member
3rd Grade Teacher at Athens City Schools
Educator Advisory Council
Class of 2021–2022
Executive Council
Melisha Simmons
Rising First Grade Facilitator
First Grade Teacher
Warren County
Alexis Wade
Rising Second Grade Facilitator
First Grade Teacher
Shelby County
Lauren Effler
Rising Third Grade Facilitator
Pre K–12 Curriculum & Instruction Supervisor
Union County
Stefanie Bishop
Second Grade Teacher
Hardin County
De’Shadrian Campbell
Kindergarten Teacher
Hardeman County
Tammy Clark
First Grade Teacher
Knox County
Tara Comerford
Third Grade Teacher
Athens City
Tony Dalton
Pre K–1st Instructional Coach
Hamblen County
Lauren Dean
First Grade Teacher
Robertson County
Chris Dickerson
Kindergarten Teacher
Metro Nashville Public Schools
Lorena Georger
Second Grade Teacher
Newport City School
Xavier Hamler
Elementary Education Supervisor
Bedford County
Taylor Harvey
Librarian
Hamilton County
Molly Jones
First Grade Teacher
Sullivan County
Angie Manor
District Literacy Coordinator
Hickman County
Meredith McMackins
Second Grade Teacher
Dyer County
Shirley McMorris
Early Literacy Advisor
Shelby County
Melody Sadler
First Grade Teacher
Overton County
Sarah Stephenson
Kindergarten Teacher
Cheatham County
Alexandra Whited
Third Grade Teacher
Hawkins County
Christie Wimberley
Second Grade Teacher
Henry County
I am excited to share the joy of literacy with thousands of young Tennesseans. Developing early literacy skills sets learners on a trajectory that will dictate the rest of their lives and I believe that the work of the Council helps lay this necessary foundation.
Chris Dickerson
Educator Advisory Council member
Kindergarten teacher at Metro-Nashville Public Schools.
